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Lucy found herself reflecting on times she has shared a bed with Tim…or sometimes just falling asleep next to him.
The first time it happened, Lucy was having a truly terrible shift. She had spent the last 2 days trying to cross off the ridiculous mandatory checklist of 7 different kinds of arrests she still needed or she would be held back in her training. Tim assured her they could cross everything off, but her faith waned as time ran out and not all of her boxes had been ticked off.
Grey approved them for overtime until they arrested someone for meth possession. It took hours of driving around until the call came in. They returned to the station, and regardless of how victorious Lucy felt that she had checked everything off of the mandatory list, she was absolutely exhausted!
“You’ve got a lot of paperwork to finish, let’s go, boot,” Tim ordered as he watched Lucy shuffle away from the holding cell where she had dropped off her meth possession suspect.
“I’ve been so worried about this checklist, I hardly slept last night. I can barely keep my eyes open right now,” she groaned, and then she regretted sharing that information with Tim knowing that he would snap at her and tell her to get over it.
But, he didn’t say that.
“Go to the break room couch. You can shut your eyes for 20 minutes while I get started on the paperwork,” he urged. His voice was still somewhat authoritative but there was a gentleness to it she was not used to hearing.
“No, we have to turn in all of the arrest reports for everything on my checklist as soon as possible. I can stay awake.”
“We can submit everything to the night Watch Commander. It’s okay. Go.”
She eyed him curiously. Why was he being so nice? Lucy nodded curtly and walked over to the break room. The second she collapsed onto the couch, she fell asleep.
When she woke up, she looked to her right and there he was sitting on the floor with his back leaning against the couch and his head dropped backwards on the edge of the cushion near her head. Lucy was a little surprised to see Tim’s face so calm instead of twisted into a scowl. He looked peaceful. He looked KIND. He looked handsome. She tried to shake away the last thought, but his face is objectively attractive. That’s a fact. A newly discovered fact, because in sleep, he is not barking orders or looking at her harshly, and she was able to appreciate the man beneath the gruffness. It was curious, but it felt a bit like she was seeing him for the first time. Lucy did not know how long she stared over at his face studying every last millimeter.
Until Tim’s eyes snapped open. “Chen?” He asked, his voice was still raspy and neutral instead of the usual gruffness.
She tried to scoot away from him, but the seat of the cushion was not big enough to grant her too much distance from him. “S-sorry. W-what happened?” Lucy asked.
“I needed coffee, and while I was waiting for the new pot to brew, I just sat down for a second, and then…”
“You fell asleep. It’s okay, Tim. We’re only human. We need our sleep.”
“I don’t,” he growled.
Lucy rolled her eyes, because of COURSE he would say something like that. She watched him stand from the floor, and then she rose from the couch. They were standing so close it made Lucy’s pulse race. She could tell Tim wasn’t breathing as he stared down at her. Their proximity was an unexpected dizzying rush, and she was unsure if she could move away if only to stop the way her heart was pounding.
Tim had no idea what was happening. One second, he was trying to caffeinate, the next he was admiring how calm and quiet Lucy looks when she sleeps. Somehow, he felt comfortable enough to close his eyes with his head close to hers on the break room couch. It was abnormal, he knew. He had never once allowed a rookie to nap while HE completed paperwork for them. Not once had Tim ever fallen asleep next to a rookie either.
But, Lucy…there were days when she reminded him of just how unique of a rookie she is. Actually, sometimes, Tim’s catches himself thinking she is quite the unique woman, too. Now, his eyes were fixed on hers, and his exhaustion must have been why he could not find it within himself to get some distance from her. He just had to will his legs to MOVE.
He cleared his throat and then said, “We’ve got some paperwork to finish.”
She watched him walk away first, and it was enough to break the spell. By the time they were seated at desks across from each other, she assumed that her overall tiredness was playing tricks on her mind. Lucy had almost forgotten all about waking up to see his head perpendicular to hers until she was finally in her bed in her apartment that night where she was trying to sleep for a little longer before her next shift, and the mental image of his sleeping face flashed in her mind. It was just a second of thinking about his face before falling asleep. It didn’t mean anything. The exhaustion was just messing with her.
⋆⟡˖°.ᶻ𝗓 𐰁 𐰁.°˖⟡⋆⟡˖°.ᶻ𝗓 𐰁 𐰁.°˖⟡⋆
Tim is incredibly stubborn; that characteristic has not changed in all the time Lucy has known him. She should not have been surprised that he was so adamant as he sat in the uncomfortable plastic chair beside her hospital bed.
“Tim, I’m getting discharged tomorrow morning. I’m good. You can go home.”
“I’m good right here,” he insisted.
“That chair can’t be comfortable. You’ve been sitting there since I woke up, and I’m assuming you were there all of last night whether you’ll admit it or not.”
“Don’t worry about me. You need to rest,” he urged, and he could hear the softness in his voice as he spoke to her.
“I’m not going to sleep while you’re torturing your back. I’ll be okay alone.”
“You’re not alone, Lucy.”
She was taken aback by his overall gentle tone and the twinge of pain in his voice as he assured her. It took her a moment to reply, “I’m not gonna let you sleep like that for another night, so unless you get in this bed with me, you’re going home.”
Lucy blinked hard once she processed the words that came out of her mouth without thinking…did she just offer for him to sleep in the hospital bed with her? Tim eye’s momentarily flashed some curious emotion that didn’t last long enough for her to decipher. He was stunned, she finally realized. Before Lucy could try to take back what she said, he stood and bent over her where she was laying in the bed. His hand reached across her body, and she let out a little gasp at the way he was stretched across her since he was standing on her right side while one of his arms extended to the mattress on her left side. She was not exactly bracketed by him, but it was an odd situation for them to be in.
Tim just had to look at her for a moment, briefly distracted by the way her eyes lit up. Then, he took the call button resting on the mattress at her side and pressed down to request a nurse. Once one came over, he asked, “Can I please have a cot?” Tim heard Lucy’s little noise of surprise, and he looked over at her to say, “I choose the 3rd option.”
The nurse returned to report that they did not have any more cots available, because the universe likes to play sick jokes on Tim.
“You can just go home, Tim,” Lucy suggested.
“I’ll go home when you do,” he stepped away from where he was standing next to her bed and sunk into his chair.
She smiled at the quiet way he was showing he cares, and though her offer was initially made without thinking, now she wanted him to be comfortable, and it could be totally platonic…it doesn’t have to mean anything. “Then, just come here,” she patted on the mattress and scooted until Lucy was on her side with space for another person to fit.
“I’m fine,” he sat back in his chair and crossed his arms while trying to ignore the odd sensation coursing through his veins- he wanted to get into that bed next to her. He just didn’t understand why.
“Tim,” she rolled her eyes and whispered his name in annoyance. “Why can’t you just listen to me for once?”
“I don’t have to listen to you. You’re MY rookie.”
“I’m the patient. What I want is all that matters, and I want you to get a few hours of quality sleep, so get over here.”
He was not going to get into that bed. Not because it would be weird, but because it didn’t seem strange. They sit next to each other in the shop all day. Surely sleeping next to each other would be no different. But, Tim kept staring at the empty patch next to Lucy and then back into her eyes, and he thought it was a bad idea for some reason.
“Tim,” she whispered his name again. Lucy wanted him to sleep well, of course, but she also thought she might sleep better if Tim was there. If thoughts of the barrel and Caleb appeared in her mind, his presence could be grounding, comforting even.
There was something in her eyes pleading with him to join her, and when had he ever denied Lucy when she looked at him like that? The answer was never, and that pattern was not about to change. Tim kicked off his shoes and gingerly got into the tight hospital bed next to her. It took a few seconds of uncoordinated shimmying and awkwardness for both of them to find a comfortable position. Lucy looked over at him where he had tucked his right arm behind his head. She could tell there was some tension in his body, but she hoped he would relax soon.
Her eyelids started to feel heavy, but she tried to stay awake for a few more moments just to observe the way his eyes were wide open and fixed on the ceiling above them. “Aren’t you gonna go to sleep?”
He angled his head to look at how sleepy she was. She looked cute as she tried to blink away her tiredness, he thought. Tim scolded himself for calling her “cute” in his mind before replying, “You first.”
Lucy chuckled at the completely childish response, and when he glanced down at her in confusion, she pointed out affectionately, “You’re ridiculous.”
Tim rolled his eyes and returned his gaze to the ceiling. “Get some sleep, Chen,” he tried to make his voice sound like a firm order, but truthfully, he knew his small grin made it impossible to be too harsh. She was good at making his lips twitch into a smile, and when she had gone missing, he didn’t think he would ever smile again. To see her alive and (physically) well brought him so much comfort. “Good night, Lucy,” he whispered and flicked his eyes to meet hers for a second before tearing his gaze away.
“Good night, Tim,” she replied softly, and soon enough, Lucy was asleep.
He did not sleep much, though. Every so often, he stared over at her and then forced himself to look away. At some point, she shifted until her head ended up settling on his chest just below his collarbone. Lucy looked peaceful and ALIVE, so Tim just admired how comfortable she looked sleeping on him and tried not to think about it too much. Because, sleeping next to her did not mean anything…right?
Lucy woke up to Tim’s scent, and then she saw him. He was just shutting his eyes as she looked over at him. His terrible attempt at pretending to be asleep made her laugh. “I know you’re awake,” she said.
Tim opened one of his eyes while the other stayed shut. “I should call for your doctor to come check on you.”
“I’m fine, Tim,” she assured, and then she realized how she was nestled against him, and it should have been weird or awkward, but it felt nice. Lucy wanted him to stay for another minute, and the way his muscles were relaxed beneath her indicated he was not uncomfortable either.
Shouldn’t it be weird? Shouldn’t they spring apart? Why hasn’t Tim climbed out of the bed yet?
Lucy tried to quiet her thoughts and lay in the silence with him. It was easy just as every time quiet fell in the shop. When the nurse came in to check on her, Tim finally slid out of the bed, cleared his throat, and smoothed down the front of his t shirt, but he did not seem too agitated, or at least as uneasy as she would have anticipated. The nurse left with a cheery smile, and then Lucy finally noticed, with horror, the wet spot on Tim’s shoulder.
He saw her wide eyes and immediately lunged towards her while asking, “Are you okay? Are you in pain?”
“N-no…I…I’m sorry. I think I drooled on you a little,” she bit her lip and blushed, because she does not usually drool in her sleep, and that was a little embarrassing.
Tim had not noticed the moisture, but when he saw it, he only smiled, “It’s okay. Just glad you slept.”
Her heart fluttered and her cheeks pinked up at his sweetness, and she hoped he had not noticed the distinct ding from her heart monitor in response. At least he didn’t say anything, or she might have died of embarrassment.
The next time they were in the shop together, Lucy recognized, as if for the first time, how naturally relaxed they were around each other. Their elbows or hands would brush, and neither of them pulled away hastily like they had when they first started riding together only months prior. And now that they had slept next to each other, Lucy felt even more comfortable around him. He may have become the person she felt the most at ease with. She kept that thought to herself. Still, a more closely kept secret was how in the months after she had been saved from the barrel, when she experienced quite fitful sleep, Lucy’s thoughts immediately went to the night in the hospital where Tim was beside her in the small bed. The night she had experienced the best rest of her life.
⋆⟡˖°.ᶻ𝗓 𐰁 𐰁.°˖⟡⋆⟡˖°.ᶻ𝗓 𐰁 𐰁.°˖⟡⋆
“Lucy, you shouldn't be alone right now,” Tim insisted in a low, sympathetic rumble.
Soon enough, she found herself in the middle of his living room wearing some of his clothes and urging him to sleep in his own bed. The news of Jackson’s passing sat heavily on her chest, her mind was cloudy, and her body felt a little numb; that confusing combination compelled her to ask for a hug from Tim. In his arms, her mind quieted, her heart was definitely beating again based on its new rapid rate, and her skin was set ablaze. She looked up into his eyes to find a vulnerable, jumbled expression. There was a heat in his gaze she had never seen before, or maybe because it felt a little familiar, it was more likely that Lucy had not registered it before. Before she could say anything or process what Tim was silently saying, he bade her goodnight and stepped away from her to go into his bedroom.
She tried resting on the couch, but the second she saw his shut bedroom door, she thought about how close he was to her…yet so far. Just one piece of wood keeping them apart. Lucy felt so unmoored, and the one steady anchor in her life, the person she yearned to touch once more after a comforting hug that had not lasted long enough. With her own emotions in an indiscernible mess, one thing was clear to Lucy- she wanted Tim close to her for the night. They had shared a bed before. A twin size hospital bed had fit them a while ago. Surely, he would not mind allowing her to sleep next to him in a queen bed where they could be more sprawled out. Just for tonight. Just for one evening of restful sleep before the restless nights would return as they had in the aftermath of what should have been her day of death. Tim seemed agreeable enough to welcome her into his home, allow her to wear some of his clothes, and even give her a hug. Maybe, he would acquiesce and grant her request to sleep next to him.
Lucy was not exactly sure how she was going to make the ask. The words were scrambled in her mind, but she knew the second she would lay her eyes on him, the request would easily come out of her mouth. To have one night of relief that his presence could uniquely provide. She desperately craved it. So, she stood up from the couch with every intention of knocking on his bedroom door, but then she heard his voice as he was speaking on the phone. In a matter of seconds, Lucy’s plans for the night had completely changed.
In a quiet moment weeks later during a rare respite between the waves of grief that always threatened to overtake Lucy, she thought about that night at Tim’s house. How desperate she was to ask to sleep next to him. How in the difficult nights since, she had thought about his taut muscular shoulder beneath her ear, his strong body next to her, the warmth radiating off of him, the quiet almost inaudible beat of his heart, and the welcome scent of Tim that so easily lulled her to sleep. Maybe if she could sleep next to him, the bad dreams wouldn’t come, the tears would subside, her heart would find a steady, unbroken rhythm. Lucy could not exactly understand why she craved to sleep next to him again, but there was a weight to reflecting on how overcome she was for her need of Tim.
Through the fog of her grief, she could feel that she wants Tim, but she was not exactly sure of the depth of the passion of that want. Lucy thought that if they rode together again, this time as Sergeant and aide, it would pacify that need. She could satisfy the endless pull to him while on shift so that at night, she would stop thinking about it.
It was a solid plan, but she was quick to discover after only a few days as his aide, that it didn’t curb her thoughts of Tim when she was restless at night.
⋆⟡˖°.ᶻ𝗓 𐰁 𐰁.°˖⟡⋆⟡˖°.ᶻ𝗓 𐰁 𐰁.°˖⟡⋆
Riding with Lucy was the best. Tim found he much preferred the long hours on patrol while listening to her quietly hum or prattle on about whatever topic was on her mind. The silence was welcome, too, but never had he preferred the sound of someone’s voice over the stillness only quiet could provide…before Lucy, of course. Their dynamic was more of a partnership instead of a Sergeant and his aide; she had earned the respect as a partner due to how well they worked together, her quick thinking, her intelligence, and her natural leadership abilities. They complemented each other like partners, too. So, when they were in the middle of a night shift, and she asked, “Can I close my eyes for a few minutes?”, Tim nodded affirmative and let her sleep. If anyone else had made such a request, he knew he would have said something gruffly in the vein of “absolutely not”. But, it was an easy “yes” for Lucy.
She had not been sleeping well. Chris had started referring to her as his girlfriend, and though Lucy had never objected to the title before, it felt wrong hearing the term in Chris’s voice. Sitting in the shop next to Tim, she knew she might actually get an hour of good quality slumber and was so grateful he was willing to allow it after a year of poking fun at her or barking at her any time she started to nod off during night shifts. Lucy’s eyes fluttered closed soon after Tim said it was okay.
Tim pulled over to the side of the road to let Lucy sleep; the exhaustion was clear in her eyes, her voice, and even her less than peppy gait. He had intended to breach the subject of why she seemed so tired, but he suspected the issue had to do with Chris, and every time she mentioned him, he felt queasy. Something about Lucy being with that man did not sit right with Tim, and he just could not understand why.
It was an uneventful night in L.A. for once, so he sat back in his seat and watched Lucy sleep. Tim found himself thinking, not for the first time, that she really is an unparalleled beauty. He should not be thinking about her as beautiful when he was in a relationship with a different woman, but Ashley could never be Lucy. That comparison was evident when Tim drifted off to sleep easily with Lucy next to him in the shop while any night with Ashley by his side was…definitely nothing as natural as it felt to fall asleep while looking at Lucy’s sleeping face. He woke up an hour later to find her head had dropped to his shoulder, and his hand was on her thigh; Tim WANTED to move his hand away, but…
He was touching Lucy. The last time he had touched her was when they danced together at Nyla’s wedding. Touching her, even through wool police uniform pants, was like touching a live wire, and it was a little addicting. Finally, Tim used all of his willpower to move his hand away, but he kept looking down at where she was resting against him as if looking away would cause her to disappear. She scrunched her nose as she began to wake up; Tim felt his heart skip a beat at how adorable she is. Lucy’s eyes slowly opened, and then she sprung away from Tim.
“I’m so sorry,” she murmured.
“Don’t worry about it.”
Lucy’s cheeks heated up, and she averted her gaze. In her sleep, she found that she had once again moved closer to him, and maybe when it happened the first time in her hospital room over a year prior, it was seeking out platonic comfort from him, but now she knew her body gravitated towards Tim…and it was a pull stronger than any connection she had ever had anyone else. The realization scared her.
“You okay?” Tim asked.
“Mhm, yeah, I just…I’m tired.”
“We’ve still got 4 hours on shift. Wanna talk about it?”
“No, it’s fine,” she lied.
Tim decided not to push her any further especially since he had enough on his mind as he thought about the incomparable peace and calm he felt waking up to see Lucy’s face. Plus, his arm reached over to touch her, and that subconscious action was quite suspicious. He was not exactly sure what it meant, but there was something THERE just under the surface- a truth he was so close to uncovering still not yet discovered. What does it mean? Tim wondered.
Lucy, however, was certain that there was a problem. It wasn’t accidental like the first time, easy like the second time, desperate like the time they almost shared a bed. She wanted to sleep in his presence selfishly knowing that she would actually feel content enough to actually sleep next to Tim, and in her unconscious state, Lucy had sought him out to put her head on his shoulder. She didn’t need to be a detective to realize she may have some feelings for Tim. On the heels of drawing that conclusion, Lucy decided that she would never ever NEVER fall asleep next to Tim. It was too risky.
⋆⟡˖°.ᶻ𝗓 𐰁 𐰁.°˖⟡⋆⟡˖°.ᶻ𝗓 𐰁 𐰁.°˖⟡⋆
Never say never.
Tim and Lucy entered the Las Vegas hotel room arranged by Hajek for Jake and Sava. Her mind was in disarray as she thought about the news of Rosalind’s escape. Tim turned off the TV to stop her from spiraling over the news coverage, then she sat heavily on the bed before he complimented her on her undercover abilities. There were a million reasons why she felt so uneasy- all the small touches on the private jet, the KISS in the bathroom, his easy praise of her undercover work abilities, and of course, the fact that Rosalind was no longer in prison. Her mind finally started to settle under the warm spray of water as she showered.
Just when she was about to turn off the water, Lucy realized where she was. In a hotel room. With Tim. For the rest of the night. With ONE bed. She took a little longer to stand in the shower as she thought about what to do, since she already promised herself it would be too overwhelming to sleep next to him again. Her feelings were too strong that they terrified her. Waking up at his side would be too much. She knew sharing that bed in that hotel room was not an option. Lucy decided she would be the one to insist on taking the couch like she had done so long ago at his house. Surely, Tim would try to insist she takes the bed, but Lucy was willing to argue and argue that she should sleep on the couch; after all, his back would take weeks to recover after laying on a couch all night.
Tim was certainly unprepared for all of the twists and turns of the undercover operation; he assumed most UC work was not so exciting, but Lucy always has a way of keeping him on his toes. After finally blinking away the sight of her bare back, he turned on the TV to find something to watch. He had to try to to stop thinking about the fact that in the next room, Lucy was NAKED in the SHOWER, but when he noticed the hotel room they were staying in, Tim had to contemplate a NEW problem- they were about to spend the night together in a hotel room with only ONE BED.
His initial reaction was excitement. He would love to have the opportunity to lay next to her. Maybe she would shuffle closer to him in sleep like in her hospital bed or in the shop. Perhaps he would have the chance to look down and watch her drool on his shoulder again like when she was recovering in the hospital. But unlike the other times they found themselves sleeping next to each other, there was a couch in the room. Certainly, Lucy would opt to sleep on the couch to avoid the awkwardness of sharing a bed.
But, it would only be awkward IF there was something more between them beyond their friendship. Two incredible, dizzying, life-altering kisses clarified that there were feelings between them that are stronger and deeper than friendship…at least for Tim. He could no longer pretend that his draw to Lucy was platonic. It definitely wasn’t. Knowing how he feels and looking at the bed, he knew that sleeping next to her would only deepen his feelings for her. She seems to move in her sleep, and without the center console of the shop to stop her, Tim was sure Lucy would end up right next to him by the time they woke up in the morning. Just the image of waking up with their limbs tangled together, feeling her warm breath puffing against his neck, and watching the sun’s early light illuminate her skin while she was pressed against him made his chest tighten enough to threaten his ability to breathe.
Sharing the bed wasn’t about the awkwardness or comfortability of being so close for an entire night- his heart was at stake. Tim needed clarity, so he decided that once Lucy stepped out of the shower, he was going to confront her about how things had changed between them. And if she gave him a response that indicated that their relationship had only changed in his eyes, well, he was going to have to suffer on the couch while trying to comfort his own bruised heart.
Lucy’s quiet explanation of “basic biology” as the reason why the two kisses they shared had stirred something inside of them was enough for Tim’s eyes to flit over to the couch. It was not ideal- he wanted to experience the vision he had of waking up with no space between them, but it was good to know where she stood. Lucy was being a professional and saw their kisses as work. He was the foolish one who let himself fall for her. A night on a couch would not be as painful to his body as the ache of knowing he likes a woman who only sees him as a friend.
The operation unfolded unexpectedly when Tim and Lucy arrested Hajek and his crew before they had to have the conversation about who would sleep on the couch versus the bed, and Tim was grateful for that small mercy for the sake of his back and his heart.
⋆⟡˖°.ᶻ𝗓 𐰁 𐰁.°˖⟡⋆⟡˖°.ᶻ𝗓 𐰁 𐰁.°˖⟡⋆
Recovering from back surgery required that Tim spent two days and nights laying perfectly still on his back. All he could do was move his neck. Not that he really needed to move his neck, though. He faced Lucy where she sat at his bedside for two days. She took the time off of work to keep him company during the long hours of the day and remained in her chair overnight. He woke in the middle of the night when nurses came to check on him, and then Tim would look over at Lucy with her feet on the seat of the chair, her knees completely bent so that the backs of her calves were pressed against the backs of her thighs, her arms wrapped around her legs, and she was practically folding on herself to rest her chin on her knees. It was adorable how such a small woman could look even smaller, but by the way she stretched out her aching muscles for several minutes both mornings, Tim could tell her sleeping position was quite uncomfortable.
On the 3rd day, he was able to sit up and even walk a few paces while Lucy cheered him on. His increased mobility indicated that he was recovering from his surgery quite nicely, and with that news, he was certain that she would leave his hospital room at least at night.
“It’s getting late, Luce,” Tim said quietly. He was exhausted from pushing himself to test the limits of his mobility in the wake of his surgery.
“You must be tired after today. You did such a good job,” she smiled fondly and rose up to reach for the light switch in the room. Then, she closed the blinds of the window in his room that faced the nurse’s station. “Go ahead and brush your teeth and get ready for bed.”
“Okay, good night,” he replied and slowly ambled into the bathroom in his room. Tim washed his face and brushed his teeth, and then when he was done, he heard voices in the room.
“Thanks for checking,” Lucy said.
Tim found her speaking to a nurse who gave her a sympathetic smile and then left them alone in his hospital room. “What’s going on?” He asked.
“Nothing,” she shrugged. “Let’s get you in bed.”
He welcomed her warm hand on his shoulder guiding him back to his bed, but once he sat down, he shook his head. “Lucy, did something happen?”
“I’m apparently first on the waiting list, but there still aren’t any more cots available, but it’s fine. I’ll be okay,” she assured him.
“Go home and sleep in your own bed. I’ll be fine.”
“You’re not getting rid of me that easily. I can sit in the chair for another night.”
“Lucy…”
“Lay down! You need your sleep!” She demanded with kindness in her voice.
“Okay,” he agreed easily due to his tiredness and repositioned himself until he was laying comfortably. Tim looked over at her sitting in the chair just as she had for the last few days of his hospital stay, and even in the dark stillness of the room, she still somehow managed to cast a glow. “You really don’t have to stay tonight.”
“I know, but I’m going to anyway,” Lucy replied barely above a whisper.
Tim wanted to blame his exhaustion for what he said next, but he knew that he was feeling just reckless enough to ask for what he wanted. He shuffled over to the edge of the bed and patted down on the new space beside him. “Get in here.”
“I’ll be fine in the chair.”
“Really? Is that why you woke up and started doing a full blown yoga routine to stretch out your back this morning?” He didn’t mention how much he had enjoyed watching her do yoga in tight black leggings that accentuated her curves.
“Tim…”
“Come here,” he cut her off with his gentle tone.
She had promised herself that she would never share a bed with him again- her feelings for him were too strong and too daunting to do something so intimate, but her back really was aching from sleeping in that chair, and well, he is the patient, and the patient should always get what they want…
Lucy carefully climbed into the bed while attempting to maintain some semblance of distance between them, which was pretty impossible on such a narrow mattress.
He sighed in contentment. If he couldn’t have her, Tim could have this one night in bed with her, and it had to be enough. In truth, since Ashley had broken up with him, all he thought about was Lucy. Without a girlfriend, the floodgates opened, and he could see the true depth (or rather endless cavern) of his feelings for Lucy. She may not see anything more between them other than friendship, but in the stillness of the darkened hospital room, Tim saw that her face was a whisper away from his with her eyes locked on him, and he could almost imagine a lifetime of nights looking over at her in the bed next to him, and his heart ached for a future he could never have. “Good night, Lucy,” he murmured.
“Good night, Tim,” she replied softly and shut her eyes before they filled with tears. It was too nice. Too comfortable. Too easy to lay next to him in the small bed and feel how close they were, and yet it wasn’t close enough. Part of her wanted to get out of the bed, but Lucy was well aware that even if her heart begged to be spared by getting some physical distance between them, she knew her body would never allow it. Like magnets pulled her to him and she could not resist the draw. When she woke in the early morning, she realized that she had thrown one of her arms completely across his stomach and one of her legs was on top of his.
It was definitely a bad idea, but Lucy stayed in that position as she nodded off to sleep once more. If she could only hold onto him for a few more minutes, then she was willing to indulge that desire.
Tim felt a hand squeeze his side, and it was enough to snap his eyes open. He found Lucy snuggling closer to him and gripping him tightly, but she was definitely asleep. Who knew she was so possessive in her sleep? He found it adorable. Gently, he pushed some hair away from her face and felt his heart stutter at how perfect it was to wake up with her in his arms. If only it wasn’t a one time occurrence…Tim tried to shove the thought down and basked in the last few moments that it felt like Lucy was his to hold onto. His to wake up with. She woke up soon after, blinked a few times, and shyly smiled as she slowly moved her arm and leg away from him. With a bashful “sorry”, Lucy swung her legs and got out of the bed, and it was over. Reality had set back in; Lucy no longer belonged to him even if somewhere deep down, Tim knew he unequivocally belonged to her. Always.
⋆⟡˖°.ᶻ𝗓 𐰁 𐰁.°˖⟡⋆⟡˖°.ᶻ𝗓 𐰁 𐰁.°˖⟡⋆
Sweaty, sated, and quite exhausted, Lucy collapsed back into her mattress while trying to catch her breath.
Tim was inhaling heavily too, as he commented breathlessly, “Wow.”
“Yeah,” she agreed while a smile started pulling at her lips. Usually, the first time she has sex with anyone, it’s a little challenging as they both figure out how to pleasure the other and how to move together, but of course, with Tim it was not nearly as difficult. Just like everything else in their relationship, they were able to anticipate the other’s movements, gauge reactions based on nonverbal cues, and communicate to make their first time quite pleasurable. She walked into the bathroom to relieve herself, and when she returned to her bedroom, Lucy admired how comfortable he looked in her bed. A realization struck her that rendered her speechless.
“Everything okay, baby?”
“You’re gonna spend the night,” she whispered in awe.
“Did you think I was planning to leave?”
“No, I…never mind.”
“Tell me,” he requested and watched her settle into the bed beside him.
Lucy reached over for Tim after she reminded herself she can do that now whenever she wants. “It sounds stupid,” she nestled her head into his neck to hide her nervous smile and obvious blush.
He rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head. “Now I’m definitely curious.”
“We’re about to sleep in the same bed tonight,” she finally said, her voice was muffled where her lips brushed against his skin. It felt momentous to share her bed with him.
“Yeah, unless you want me to go to the couch,” he joked.
She laid down and hauled Tim to her. “No, I want you to stay here with me.” Lucy grinned.
“Nowhere else I’d rather be,” he replied and pulled her closer.
Lucy felt the butterflies return to her stomach. They were sleeping in the same bed. Together. On purpose. Not because they happened to fall asleep next to each other or because the hospital did not have a cot available. They wanted to be together in the same bed as a couple with nothing between them, not even clothes.
Tim didn’t want to close his eyes. He wanted to keep Lucy in his embrace, stare down at her cozied up at his side, and feel their heartbeats mixed together. It was perfect.
The next morning was just as perfect. She didn’t apologize for waking up snuggled up with him, because she was allowed to hold him if she wanted to. “Babe,” Lucy whispered.
“Mhm,” he hummed, still waking up.
“Can we stay in bed for a little longer?”
“We have the day off, so we can stay here all day if you want.”
She smiled and buried her face in his chest. As much as he loved falling asleep with her, he found he much preferred starting his day with Lucy. She belongs to him now, and Tim wanted to share every night and every morning with her.
⋆⟡˖°.ᶻ𝗓 𐰁 𐰁.°˖⟡⋆⟡˖°.ᶻ𝗓 𐰁 𐰁.°˖⟡⋆
The loud sound of thunder cracked through the night sky.
“Daddy!” Harry whined once he entered his parents’ bedroom.
“Are you okay?” Tim asked.
“Storm,” Harry explained.
“Alright, get in here, buddy,” Tim shuffled to the side to make space for his son to sleep between him and his wife.
“Daddy! We’re scared!” Becca sounded terrified.
He looked over at his daughters and scooted all the way to the edge to make space for Joy and Becca to join them in bed.
Lucy felt someone kick her leg, which woke her up, “Tim,” she hissed and opened her eyes to find their three kids laying between her and her husband.
“What?” He whispered and lifted his head to see his wife clearly.
“What are our kids doing in bed with us?”
“The storm scared them.”
Lucy felt Joy kick her shin again. “Now I’m not gonna sleep for the rest of the night.”
“Our kids move in their sleep just like their mom,” he chuckled and watched Harry turn to his other side as if on cue.
She rolled her eyes and whispered, “I’m taking a nap after they leave for school. Alone.” His eyebrows shot up as he silently asked what he had done wrong, so she added, “I don’t want to hear you snoring.”
“I don’t snore,” he denied.
“Okay, babe,” she shot back sarcastically. Just as she had expected, Lucy had trouble falling back and staying asleep as she felt her kids wiggle around. Since she couldn’t sleep, she thought about how she used to crave sleeping next to Tim, and now it lead to nights of listening to him snore (he DOES snore whether he admits or not), plus, one of their kids always found an excuse to join them in bed where their quiet whistling breathing floated through the air as their little bodies shimmied between Tim and Lucy. Perhaps she should have embraced the nights before she started sleeping next to him. Where she slept alone and unbothered.
In the morning, exactly as she planned, she waved her kids goodbye and dropped onto the couch in her exhaustion.
Tim smiled at her and covered Lucy up with a blanket before starting to leave the living room.
“Where are you going?” She asked.
“I’m letting you sleep.”
“Come here.”
“Last night, you claimed I snore,” he pointed out sassily and put his hands on his hips.
Lucy rolled her eyes and sat up. “Get over here,” she groaned.
He laid down, and she climbed on top of him happily. “You said you wanted to sleep alone,” he pointed out.
“I have you. I never want to sleep alone,” she replied quietly and fell asleep quickly. Unlike the first time they ended up sleeping on a couch together, their current situation was completely different- married, 3 kids, sharing a home, spending every night together by choice not just out of exhaustion.
Besides, even if Tim snores, Lucy much preferred sharing a bed with him, and she planned to do so every night for the rest of their lives…even if their kids kick her in their sleep.